


What Did the Sushi Say to the Bee

by malapropist (enbookcased)



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol, Bad Jokes, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Chan is pavlova, Changbin DJ, Changbin is brownies, Fluff, I'm Sorry, IDK WHY MY TAGS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Surfer Felix, background Chan/Minho, bartender Changbin, but no actual cheating, egregious use of puns, lifeguard Felix, smidgen of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:02:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25205176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enbookcased/pseuds/malapropist
Summary: “Hey, Felix.” Felix tilted his head at Changbin. “I hope you won't hold this against me, but,” Changbin fished in his pocket for his room key and held it up, “I'm a little door key.”The laugh that bubbled out of Felix, the smile on his face. Yep, worth it, even if it made Changbin’s cheeks burn. Even if it made everyone else groan.
Relationships: Lee Felix/Seo Changbin
Comments: 24
Kudos: 145
Collections: Summer Boy





	What Did the Sushi Say to the Bee

**Author's Note:**

> Categories: sea sports, summer job, sunburn, and (previously not mentioned but I managed to sneak it in) campfire.
> 
> FUN NOTE: This was titled in my drafts ‘AM I A JOKE TO YOU?’ Also, I got a toothache from writing this.  
>    
> Thank you to the mods for running this fest! Enjoy!
> 
> [yell at me pls](https://trashb1nnie.tumblr.com), [here too](https://twitter.com/enbookcased?s=09)

“Hey, Bin!”

Changbin frowned down at his laptop, just barely registering his name being called over the thump of the bass. He held up a finger, tapped out a simple but danceable melody and set it on loop, timed the whole thing to fade into Lady Gaga, and looked up. Jisung was grinning from ear to ear, which could only mean trouble. “What?” he mouthed, tugging a headphone off one ear.

“He's here!”

Changbin rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny the flush that crept up his neck. He saw Jisung cackle at him out of his peripheral and studiously ignored it. He ignored the way the tips of his ears burned, too.

He didn’t get a break for another ten minutes, but he’d already spotted him out in the beachside bar crowd. He was a blonde Korean kid with the biggest, brightest smile in the hemisphere; it was more difficult _not_ to notice Felix Lee. To solidify his opinion even further, Changbin just happened to catch sight of Felix right as he tipped his head back, laughing, hand on Chan’s shoulder. Yep. Brightest smile in the world, probably.

Felix caught his eye and waved, the sky a dusky purple behind him, framing him so prettily Changbin felt his breath catch in his throat a little. Changbin, affecting a confidence he did not feel, winked before picking up the mic laying on his booth. “How ya feeling tonight, my friends?!” he shouted into the crowd, pausing for the inevitable drunk wave that would greet him back. “Friends, just so you know we have a very special guest with us tonight,” he dropped his voice down to a gravelly purr, dimming the beat to a dull backdrop. He glanced back over at Felix, who was shaking his head and drawing a line over his throat. “That’s right. Our good buddy, lifeguard, resident surf instructor extraordinaire and all-around cutie pie, _Felix_ is in the house!” Changbin completed the shout-out with air raid sirens just for added obnoxious effect, grinning as Felix hid behind his hands. He’d seen the smile, though. “Do you all know Felix? If you don’t, you can get to know him and the rest of our awesome instructors by signing up for a complimentary surf lesson anytime during your stay.”

Changbin smirked down at his laptop, queueing up another playlist before making his way down from the small platform the DJ booth rested upon. He made his way to the bar, where Jisung was already waiting with a bottle of water for him. “Way to use Felix for your obligatory plug. I think you made him turn neon.”

Changbin tipped the water bottle in thanks and shrugged. “He’ll live. Sad I missed it, though.”

“ _Sure_ you are.”

“Shut up.”

“You shut up.”

“What are you, five?”

“What are you, five?”

“Are you _mocking_ me?”

“Are you mock—ow, hey!”

Changbin punched Jisung in the arm as hard as he dared—which wasn’t that hard, really.

“Hey, do you always go around hitting your friends?” a deep voice interrupted them.

“Oh, F-felix. Hey.” Felix looked hot—uhhhh. He _appeared_ _sweaty_. “Were you out on the dance floor?”

“Mhm,” Felix nodded. “Had to after _someone_ announced my presence to the guests,” he said. “I wonder who would do such a despicable thing?”

“I dunno, sounds like a dick move,” Changbin replied, feigning innocence. “Certainly not me, I’m way too nice to do anything rude like that.”

Felix’s smile was sly. It made Changbin want to tuck himself in and around him. “Sure, okay. At least I got a few sign-ups from it, I think. I guess I’ll see for sure in the morning.” He moved past Changbin to lean against the bar. “Ji, can I get a vodka cranberry?”

Changbin backed off, knowing a dismissal when he saw one. He saluted Jisung, who stuck his tongue out at him, and moved back up to the booth, just one last glance at that blonde head. Time to finish out the night.

\--

It was after two-thirty when his set finally wrapped, signaling to guests and patrons that the bar was on last call. He broke down what equipment he brought with him and packed up for the night. He bumped shoulders with Jisung as they left out the back. Jisung’s smile was warm around the edges and he held up a Styrofoam container of spring rolls. “Want any?”

Stuffing his mouth, Changbin was in no shape to defend himself when Jisung snickered at him. “I can’t believe you flopped so hard in front of your crush, dude.”

Changbin let out an outraged gurgle.

“I mean, points for bravery, though! I didn’t think you had the balls to call him out like that in front of everyone. Too bad you crashed and burned.” He clapped Changbin on the back. “Maybe you should be a little more subtle. Show some finesse.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, maybe flirting with him over the PA isn’t the way into this particular boy’s heart. Or pants.”

“I’d shove you into the sand, but I want the rest of the spring rolls.”

“Also, you know he's got, like, the most massive crush on Chan, right?”

Changbin sighed, looking off into the dark waves as they lapped against the sand. “I know. The whole world has a crush on Chan.”

“And don't get me wrong, you're a full-on fudge brownie, the kind with nuts and ice cream on top, the whole works.”

Changbin was confused. “Thanks?”

“But Chan is like pavlova. And no one is going to want a fudge brownie, no matter how delicious, when they're craving pavlova.”

“Jisung, your analogies need work. Also, are you hitting on me, or did I just imagine you calling me delicious?”

“You're being obtuse. I love it, baby. Do it again.”

“So you're saying I should give up on Felix?”

“Pavlova, man.”

\--

It was two days before Changbin saw Felix again. He was lounging on the beach with Seungmin and Minho when a shadow washed over him and he felt sand being kicked at his legs. Felix's grin was teasing, the grip on his surfboard easy. Chan a smiling presence at his side clutching his own board. “What was that for?” Changbin asked, pulling his shades down.

“You know what that was for, you jerk,” Felix replied, digging his board into the sand before sitting on Changbin’s towel with him. He nodded at Seungmin and Minho. “Hey, guys.”

The barb was mild, so Changbin relaxed. He could feel Felix like a line of heat along his side but tried his best to keep it together. Stupid crushes. He observed as everyone talked, choosing instead to let the conversation wash over him, enjoying the deep timber of Felix's voice. It left pleasant goosebumps along his skin.

Sometimes Changbin wondered if he was more in love with the crush he had on Felix than with the boy himself, but then he'd see him again and he'd be reminded of why he liked him in the first place. Whenever he thought of Felix—which was often, let's be real—Changbin was reminded of warmth and sunsets and summer nights, of the waves crashing to shore. He loved his laugh and his smile, and the absolutely disgusting way he ate bananas. His freckles looked like constellations and Changbin wanted to trace them for hours and make up stories about them. He was pretty certain Felix didn't reciprocate and that was okay; he told himself (over and over) that he was content in his one-sided admiration. Sometimes, he even believed himself.

It still didn't stop Changbin from looking up the absolute corniest jokes he could find and telling them to Felix just so he could hear that laugh he cherished. For example:

“Hey, Felix.” Felix tilted his head at Changbin. “I hope you won't hold this against me, but,” he fished in his pocket for his room key and held it up, “I'm a little door key.”

The laugh that bubbled out of Felix, the smile on his face. Yep, worth it, even if it made Changbin’s cheeks burn. Even if it made everyone else groan.

When Felix left a little while later, he gave Chan—who decided to stay behind—a full hug, hands clasped against their chests, Chan’s fingers proprietary on Felix's lower back. Changbin did his very best not to stare.

When they parted, Felix offered Changbin a shy smile and a wave, and Changbin was reminded just how far out of his league Felix Lee really was.

At least Jisung thought he was delicious.

\--

For the first time that summer, the whole group was able to meet up for a little kick-back time together. They'd agreed ahead of time on a local bar located NOT on the strip, a place with cold enough beers and a decent pool table, where rugby games played on repeat 24/7. They occupied the only table big enough for them all, an octagonal monstrosity that sat in the corner usually collecting dust.

Changbin was wedged between Seungmin and Jeongin, Chan and Hyunjin flanking them, respectively. Felix might as well have been as far away as the moon, sitting on the edge with one leg poked out. Changbin was DD that night to his merry fivesome, so he kept rolling his bottle of Coke from hand to hand along the tabletop, enjoying his mates becoming drunker and therefore much more entertaining.

Jisung and Seungmin were arguing over the finer points of Haikyuu, such as if Tooru and Hajime were, in fact, a couple or not.

“He calls him his pillar!”

“You read too much fanfiction!”

One of the nicer things about being the DD was that he didn’t have to buy any of the rounds. He did, however, volunteer to help Felix when it was his turn to buy the beers, somehow squeezing his way around Jeongin and Hyunjin in a move he’s pretty sure he ripped straight from a Spider-Man movie.

Waiting at the bar for the bartender to notice them, Changbin bit the inside of his cheek as he searched for something interesting to say. Felix didn’t seem to be having the same problem, eyes glued instead to a rugby match from 2015.

“Wow,” came a voice from the side, catching both Felix and Changbin’s attention. “You’re, like, really pretty for a guy.”

The voice belonged to a brick wall of a man; Changbin wasn’t sure where the muscle mass ended and the actual human began. The guy was intimidating, to say the very least. Changbin tamped down the urge to pull Felix into him, but he did step just a little closer.

“Thanks,” Felix said shortly, turning and facing frontwards again, a clear dismissal.

“Whoa, where did that voice come from? No way a voice that deep just came out of your gorgeous face.”

Felix was unfazed. “And yet, somehow it did.”

“So, uh,” the guy—who clearly could not take a hint—sidled up to Felix’s other side, despite Changbin making it clear they were up there together, “what’ll it take for you to let me buy you a drink?”

Felix didn’t even spare the guy a glance. “Sorry, I’m with my friends, and I’m not interested.”

For a brief moment, the guy just looked flummoxed. Changbin nearly laughed. It died in his throat, however, when the expression on the dude’s face turned mean. “Fine, be a little bitch. Jesus, can’t take a fucking compliment.”

Changbin acted on instinct, moving to—he really didn’t know what, he just knew he was pissed and the source of it was right in front of him. Felix grabbed his elbow, though, probably saving Changbin from getting kicked out of the only bar they could all agree with on a regular basis. “Forget it, Binnie,” Felix said lowly as the dude walked away. 

“Fuck, that guy was a _prick_ ,” Changbin spat, not bothering to lower his voice.

“Don’t worry about him.” Felix replied, ambivalent. “You know how it is.”

“No,” Changbin said plaintively. “I don't. I mean, I've been hit on, sure, but never with that level of, of _entitlement_. Like that guy owned you just because he thought he was being nice or something. I don't know how you didn't just punch him right in the face.”

“Really?” Felix eyed Changbin for a long moment, his own gaze narrowed, searching. Changbin felt picked apart, raw. He didn't like it. The bartender came up and took their order along with Changbin’s card, a welcome distraction. “Well, anyway, what would violence solve, except earn me a night in jail? That guy's never gonna be worth the trouble. Besides,” his eyes turned half-moon in a smile Changbin knew he'd never get tired of for a long as he lived. Ugh, he was in deep. “I got what I wanted.”

“Oh? What was that?”

Felix grabbed the tray of drinks when they arrived and headed back toward the table. “A pretty boy bought me a drink.” He winked.

What? “Sir, your receipt?” Changbin looked back at the bartender, who was holding out a slip of paper and Changbin’s AmEx.

\--

Chaeyoung sipped her mimosa and gave Changbin eyes over top her sunglasses. “Baby,” she sighed. “When are you going to let him go?”

Changbin pulled his gaze from where he'd been trying (and failing) not to watch Felix in the lifeguard chair. He spied Chan walk up and lean against the stand, looking every bit like the summer twunk he was in his white tank and tiny red shorts, muscles on full display. Changbin watched their conversation for a moment, frowning. “You act as if I haven't always fallen hard and fast for every crush I've ever had, up to and including you.” He made a face at Chaeyoung, whose laugh tinkled through the air. Changbin saw Felix's sunglassed gaze tilt their way and suddenly became interested in his soft drink.

“I’m really glad that mellowed out. It would have been sad not having you as a friend, Changbin.”

Changbin’s smile was genuine. “Same. Wanna go push each other over in the waves and see who gets more sand up their ass crack?”

Chaeyoung grinned wolfishly. “Why do you always set yourself up for failure, Seo?”

“I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.” Changbin slapped down enough to cover the bill plus a twenty percent tip. “Race you there?”

\--

The sun was slipping over the horizon when Changbin gathered up his shirt and made to go get ready for his shift tending bar that night. Chaeyoung had abandoned him a while ago to go hang out with some of her other friends. Changbin hadn’t minded; he enjoyed the time to himself, splitting his time between reading a book Jeongin had lent him and people watching.

Changbin passed by the beach patrol office and waved at Seungmin standing just outside the door, in the midst of shift change. Changbin turned when he heard his name being called, seeing Felix running barefoot through the sand at him, thongs in one hand. “Wait up and I’ll walk with you. Hold on,” Felix instructed, using Changbin’s arm for balance as he put his shoes on. Changbin, patient but curious, did as bid.

“Someone forgot to reapply sunscreen,” Felix tsked as they fell in step with one another, dusting one hand along the top of Changbin’s bare shoulder. Changbin hissed and flinched away, not expecting the pain to be so sharp.

“Damn, I totally did,” he said, inspecting the angry red of his shoulder. “This is going to suck for a few days.”

“Mhmm,” Felix agreed, reaching up and rubbing a thumb across Changbin’s cheek. “It looks good on you, though. Brings out your eyes. Hope you don’t freckle like I always do. Every summer I seem to find new ones.”

“I like your freckles,” Changbin blurted out, because he had the brain-to-mouth filter of a five-year-old. Jesus.

Felix’s smile softened. He ducked his head, clearly embarrassed. “…Thanks, I guess.” Yep, Changbin was a screw up. “Hey, Binnie, how come I hardly ever see you in the water?”

“Hmm? Oh, I go in sometimes, but um, this is going to sound weird since I work at a beach resort and all but… I never really learned to swim that well.”

“Really?” Felix gaped.

Changbin could feel his ears heating up. “Yeah, I kind of had a bad experience as a kid, and I never really could bring myself to learn. I’m not, like, phobic or anything, I’ll go in as long as I’m with somebody, but…” he shrugged. “It’s never really been something I’ve wanted to pursue.”

Felix shrugged. “I can respect that.”

Changbin let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Oh, thank God. Chan keeps trying to get me to take lessons with him all the time, says it’s an essential life skill. I told him where he could stick his essential life skills if he really wanted to.”

Felix giggled. “Teaching swimming involves a lot of touching, you know. Maybe he just wants to get his hands on you.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

Changbin physically flinched, grossed out. “Oh, nasty. I can think of about a dozen other people I’d let lure me into the water before _Chan_.”

“Ouch, didn’t know you felt that way, Bin.” Changbin and Felix both turned to watch Chan approach them. He slung an arm over Felix’s shoulders and smiled easily at Changbin, before reaching out and tapping a finger against his chest, making him wince. “Oh, Bin, that’s going to hurt later.”

It hurt right then. Changbin swallowed. “Yeah, I know. I’m about to go put aloe on it right now.”

“I’ve got a really good gel for that, if you want I can drop it by your room later,” Chan offered.

Changbin was too preoccupied watching the way Felix was playing with Chan’s fingers where they were laying across his chest. Pavlova. “Oh, I’m good. Thanks, though. I’ve gotta get ready for work. Oh, Felix.”

“Yes, Binnie?”

“Thanks for explaining the word ‘many' to me. It means a lot.”

“Huh?”

Changbin was a good ten feet away before he heard Felix groan and Chan snicker.

\--

“Vodka cranberry, please.”

Changbin turned around from where he’d been restocking the cooler with beer, smile already in place. “Hey there. Just couldn’t stay away?”

“From the alcohol? You’re starting to understand me on a very deep level, Mr. Seo,” Felix deadpanned. “Just wanted to check on that burn.”

Ugh, Changbin could feel his face getting warmer by the second, and it had nothing to do with his sunburn. “Well, aren’t you a sweetheart? It was touch-and-go for a while there, but I think I’m going to survive. Just barely. Your concern is heartwarming.”

“Glad to hear it.” Changbin did his very best not to get lost in Felix’s smile. Jesus, how could one person hold the entire sun in their smile? “Now, about that drink…”

“Ah….” Changbin put on his best apologetic look and shook his head. “Sorry, sir, gonna have to see some ID first.”

Felix gaped, then served Changbin the meanest pout he’d seen in a while (and Changbin hung out with Minho on the regular). “What? Binnie,” he whined.

“ID, sir, or no drink,” Changbin repeated with a straight face, holding out his hand. Felix made a show of peeling his license out of the awful plastic sleeve every wallet in the world had for no good reason and slapping it atop Changbin’s palm. He waited patiently as Changbin inspected it, but narrowed his eyes when Changbin wouldn’t give it back.

“What?”

Changbin shook his head. “This is a fake.”

Felix’s mouth fell open. “There’s no way! Changbin! You know me, you know that’s real!”

Changbin shook his head, pursing his lips. “Nooope, definitely a fake. No one looks that good in their license photo.”

Felix stared at Changbin, open-mouthed, before rolling his eyes and groaning. “Oh my God, I thought something was really wrong with it. You asshole!”

Changbin smirked and handed it back before flipping up a glass and grabbing for the bottle of New Amsterdam. Felix watched him pour. “You know, I think that’s the first time you’ve actually hit on me,” he said.

“Oh, Felix,” Changbin tsked, mixing the vodka and cranberry juice before placing the glass in front of him. “If I was hitting on you, you’d know it.”

Felix grinned, twirling the little red straw around in his drink before putting it between his lips. That wasn't distracting at all. “Oh? Do it, then.”

“Hit on you?”

Felix spread his hands. “Do your worst.”

Changbin hesitated, remembering the other night. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“If it’s coming from you, it’ll be fine, because you’re not some rando in a bar. Well,” Felix laughed, as Changbin gestured around them _at the bar_ , “at least you’re not some rando, then.”

“Hmm, okay.” Changbin cleared his throat thoughtfully, then leaned across the bar top. “Ready?” Felix nodded. “Did it hurt?”

“Changbin, I swear to God, if you say when I fell from heaven…”

“No, from the vending machine, ‘cause you a snack.”

Felix rolled his eyes. “Heard it.”

Changbin tapped his lip, thinking, then held up a finger. “Do you like bad boys?”

“Maybe?” Felix shrugged. “For the sake of the joke, sure. Yes, I like bad boys.”

“Well, not to brag, but when Disney Channel asked me to go to their website with my parents’ permission,” he leaned in and whispered, “I didn’t ask my parents.”

Felix hid his face in his hands, but Changbin wasn’t done. “You know, you could never be ice cream.”

“Lemme guess. Because I’m hot?”

Changbin scoffed. “Because you’re a person.”

“Done yet?”

“Not even close. Are you my appendix? Because I don’t know how you work but this feeling in my stomach makes me want to take you out.”

“Wow. Actually, that one might have worked,” Felix considered, making Changbin inhale his own spit and cough out a lung. He didn't appreciate the smirk on Felix's face when he came back up for air.

“Ugh, okay. For my finale.” Changbin brandished a pen and grabbed one of the drink napkins. He bent away from Felix and scribbled something down, folded it, and slid it back over, all with just a smidgen of drama. Felix cocked his head at Changbin, his gaze scrutinous, and opened the napkin. “’I am an alien disguised as a napkin,’” he read, quirking one eyebrow at Changbin. “Right now, as you are holding me, I am banging your fingers. Smile if you like it.’” Felix’s laugh bubbled over.

Changbin pointed at him. “Aha, you’re smiling. You like it!”

Felix shook his head, biting at his lips. “I can’t deny that it’s original. I’ll give you that.”

“Do you give?”

Felix held up his hands. “I give, I give. You're the line king.”

“Better than pavlova?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing!”

Later that night, Changbin waved as Felix left with his friends, walking off with just one single look back. Changbin watched him disappear into the night and sighed, shoulders slumping. Minho, the other bartender on shift, draped an arm over him. “You’re an idiot,” he singsonged.

“You’re not wrong.”

“I watched you earlier. He was into whatever your dorky ass was putting down.”

Changbin shrugged Minho off him, bending to grab a glass from the dishwasher. “He wasn’t. He’s just that nice. Besides, everyone knows he’s carrying the biggest torch for Chan.”

“Chan?” Minho echoed.

Changbin glanced over at the strange tone. “Yeah, Chan. What of it?”

“Do you mean,” Minho circled the bar, drumming his fingertips along the top, “the same Bang Chan that stayed at my place last night?”

Changbin stared. “I can never tell when you’re fucking with me.”

“No one can, it’s one of my talents. But I assure you, this _one_ time, I’m not fucking with you.”

“I have to ask...”

“To spare the feelings of your cute little boy crush? Of course you do. No, we’re not exclusive...” Minho stared off into the middle distance before meeting Changbin’s eye and arching an eyebrow. “Yet. Toodles!”

\--

Changbin, Seungmin and Jeongin were hanging out, watching the surfer half of their crew catching waves, and just being general nuisances to everyone around them. They were on a local beach, nowhere near the pristine sands of the resort, and that alone had Changbin’s shoulders dropping in relief. Didn’t have to worry about being reported by some snooty tourist if they were far from where the tourists were.

Changbin watched Felix do a thing—he doesn't know, he's never paid attention to surfing before, but it looked complicated and dangerous and impressive. He disappeared for a moment under a wave, and for a moment Changbin’s heart was crammed inside his throat. Then he caught sight of him and could start breathing again.

This happened a handful of times, enough that Changbin decided he was going to die there on the spot if he kept watching, so he pulled out the book he was still working on and began reading.

“Yo, losers. Bonfire on Saturday. You down?”

Changbin squinted up into the late afternoon sun. Jisung was covered head to toe in sand and sea water, Hyunjin, Chan and Felix next to him in a similar state, their wetsuits slick with water and boards tucked under their arms. Changbin hadn’t even seen them leave the surf. He hadn’t even realized he’d read twenty pages already.

“Depends.”

“On fucking what?”

Changbin sucked in a breath as Jisung flopped down next to him. “Am I going to have to drive anybody back? Because I think my alternator’s going.”

“You can ride with me and Felix, Binnie,” Chan replied, dimples on full display and what. Changbin had never seen that smile before. It put him on edge.

“Yeah, thanks, but now that I think about it, I actually think I might walk. It’s only a couple miles down, probably good for me since I don’t have a physical job like you beach bums. I just sling bottles and spin records all night.”

“Yeah, you’re getting a little,” Jisung patted Changbin’s flat tummy, a gesture that Changbin made sure to reward by smacking him in the sternum hard, making him go ‘oof!’ He got up and shook out his towel and started packing up his stuff.

“Are you leaving?” Felix asked.

Changbin squinted over at Felix and shrugged. “Duty calls.”

Felix made a sympathetic noise and put down his surfboard. “Here, I’ll help you with your stuff.”

Changbin’s ‘stuff’ consisted of a ratty bathroom towel he sniped from his parents a million years ago, a baby boom speaker that had sand stuck inside it, making for interesting acoustics whenever they played Kendrick on it, and a six-pack cooler. But Changbin wasn’t going to refuse the help. “I’m over there,” he said, pointing across the street where his old Toyota was (badly) parallel parked.

“DJing tonight?”

“Yup. Gotta new set I’m trying out. Gonna be there?”

Felix shrugged, holding the door open for Changbin as he shoved his stuff onto the passenger seat. “Maybe, if Chan wants to go. He was talking about a party one of the locals is throwing, though.”

Ah.

“Oh, yeah, I remember him and Minho talking about it.” Changbin hesitated. He didn’t know if he should tell Felix about what Minho revealed to him. He wasn’t sure he wouldn’t just come off looking like an opportunist. But he didn’t want to see Felix hurt, either. “Felix...”

“Hang on.” Felix reached over and brushed at Changbin’s damp bangs, pulling a scraggle of dried grass out of it. “Stowaway,” he commented with a grin before tossing it down to the ground.

“Thanks.”

It wasn’t until that moment Changbin realized just how close they were standing, the passenger door the only thing separating them. Changbin never realized it before, but Felix was actually taller than him. Not that that was a great accomplishment, just about everyone was taller than Changbin, but still. From this angle, it gave him a bit of a thrill to know that he’d have to lean up just a tiny bit for a kiss. If they were anywhere near that sort of thing. Which they weren’t. And that was fine.

“Well, I gotta get back.” Changbin closed the door and skirted the front of his car, swinging the keys from one finger. “Thanks for your help.”

He had just started the car when he heard his name being called. He glanced up to see Felix was still where he left him. “Yeah?”

“What, no joke? Have I run you dry?”

“How could I forget? Hmm.” Changbin thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers. “Got one. Have I told you the one about the butter?”

Felix cocked his head, eyes narrowed in thought. “I don't think so.”

Changbin sucked his teeth. “Ah, I'd better not. It might spread.”

“Wha—OHHHH MY GOD. Changbin, that was the worst one yet!”

Changbin winked at Felix before driving away. Anything to hear that beautiful laugh.

He was all the way back in his room before he realized he hadn’t said anything about Chan and Minho.

\--

It was three a.m. and Changbin was walking back alone to his room. He spotted a familiar silhouette walking up from the opposite direction and instantly his mood picked up. “We've gotta stop meeting like this.”

Felix looked up from where he was fishing his keys out of his pocket and smiled at Changbin. “Oh, hey! Wow, is it really that late?”

“It really is. Have fun at the party?” Changbin asked as he held the door open for Felix. The coolness of the hallway a/c met them both at full blast, making Changbin shiver.

Felix shrugged. “It was okay, I guess. Actually, I’m just stopping in to grab a couple things. Chan invited me to stay the night.”

“O-oh?” Changbin’s stomach swooped. Swooping was bad.

“Yeah, we got to talking about how we miss having sleepovers like when we were kids and figured tonight would be as good a night as any to do something about it. Hey!” Felix suddenly grabbed Changbin’s elbow, stopping them in the middle of the hallway. “Wanna come with?”

Changbin couldn’t even look Felix in the face, he was struggling with too many emotions at once. He honestly didn’t know how he felt right then. He definitely needed to be alone to process everything. “Um, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You know, wouldn't want Chan getting jealous of all my huge game,” he joked lamely.

“Binnie,” Felix chided, sliding his hand down Changbin’s arm and tangling their fingers together. Changbin really liked how small Felix's hands were. He often daydreamed what it would be like to hold hands with him, and now he knew. “You know we’re just friends, right?”

Ice water. He’d been doused with ice water. “I know that,” Changbin said quickly, pulling his hand away. Damn, if that wasn’t answer enough. “Of course I know that. I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to assume anything.” He couldn't shut up. He also couldn't feel his face. Was he smiling? Or grimacing? He probably looked like he was in pain. He _felt_ like he was in pain. “Hey, have fun, okay? Tell Chan I said hi.”

He tore himself away and walked as fast as his legs could carry him, but it wasn’t fast enough to not hear Felix call out for him. He stopped abruptly, turning halfway back, holding his breath.

“Hey, um…” It looked like Felix was going to say something else but stopped himself short. “So where’s my joke?”

Changbin blew out a breath, shoulders slumping. “Sorry, Lix. Fresh out.”

Later that night, lying in bed, Changbin was doing a piss poor job of forgetting how Felix’s face had fallen as he walked away. Felix didn’t deserve that, Changbin had no right making Felix feel bad for officially friendzoning him. It was the correct thing to do, and Changbin had to put on his big boy pants and just deal with that all on his own, without dragging cute, amazing boys (with smooth-as-silk voices and beautiful freckles) down with him.

He rolled over and grabbed his phone, opening up his seldom-used chat log with Felix. The last thing they had texted about had been coordinating a movie night with the rest of the group a couple weeks ago. Pathetic. Of _course_ Felix wasn’t interested. There was hardly anything there. All he could offer were awful one-liners and bad puns. It was all he was good for. Changbin thought for a long moment, and then sent

_I heard oxygen and magnesium were going out, I was like O Mg_

He fell asleep with the log open and on read, but in the morning he’d gotten one reply.

_Who’s the O and who’s the Mg?_

Changbin had no answer.

\--

Changbin gave himself a few days to mope. It wasn't the first time he'd been rejected, he was certain it wouldn't be the last, but he just… needed a little bit of time to feel sorry for himself, to let the wound breathe a bit before he patched himself up again. He called in on his first shift ever, coaxing Jisung to cover for him, telling him he thought he was coming down with a cold. “Yeah, you sound like death,” Jisung chirped back, and Changbin honestly had no comeback. He wasn't wrong.

He babied his bruised ego for a couple nights before showing up for his afternoon bar shift, hat pulled low. Minho took one look at him and left him alone on his side of the bar. He pulled a decent number of tips, and even one number, though Changbin was sure he didn't smile once. Apparently, the sad boy look worked for him.

He caught sight of Felix close to dusk, when Changbin was bussing a few tables closer to the water. He looked amazing in his lifeguard uniform, blonde hair soft and fluffy, the prettiest smile in captivity on his face. Changbin bit his bottom lip hard to keep the tears from welling. What the fuck, he wasn't a crier, where was this coming from? He ducked his head to keep Felix out of his line of sight and finished the last table sloppily before heading back behind the bar. Fuck it, he needed a minute.

\--

Saturday bloomed rainy and overcast; Changbin could relate. His solo bar shift was slow, no one wanting to venture out in the gloom to day drink, apparently. Changbin was more than fine with that, the melancholy fitting him like a new but instantly favorite hoodie. He spent most of it playing gin with Jeongin, who was the only waiter on duty that day and thankfully oblivious to Changbin’s grey thoughts.

The sky cleared up in time for the bonfire, however. Both Chan and Jisung had texted him reminders, so Changbin knew he'd have to at least make an appearance.

He decided to arrive late, figuring the more bodies he put between himself and Felix, the better off he’d be in the long run. He didn't plan to avoid Felix forever, just until he stopped having such inane reactions whenever he saw him. Changbin tried to settle it in his bones that this was the way things had to be in order to get over his ridiculous summer crush. His bones were throwing a fit. Maybe he had osteoporosis. He planned to say hello to a few people (Jisung, basically), have a drink, and hop on out of there. Leave the celebratory atmosphere for those whom actually felt like celebrating.

Changbin should have known better. He really should have.

“There you are!” A boisterous, _at least_ tipsy Chan greeted Changbin almost as soon as he walked up, beer in one hand, Minho hanging off the other. Changbin crooked an eyebrow, but Minho shook his head. He seemed unbothered about it, so Changbin left the situation alone.

“Here I am,” he deadpanned, politely accepting the beer Chan jovially shoved at him.

“Felix has been looking all over for you, mate. Last I saw him he was—oi, there he is! Felix!” Changbin winced, partially at the loudness, but more because this was the exact situation he was trying to _avoid_.

“Felix, look who I found!” Chan yelled as soon as Felix was within earshot.

Changbin should have expected it, but he was still surprised when Minho bodily shoved him at Felix. Their chests collided for just a moment, their drinks sloshing everywhere. “Oh shit, I'm so sorry!” Changbin flailed, looking for something to sop up the beer from Felix's shirt. He finally managed to grab some fast food napkins from some random sympathetic soul and handed them over to Felix. “I'm really sorry.”

“If you're really that sorry, then repay me with another drink,” Felix laughed, a request Changbin immediately darted off to fulfill.

They ended up sat a ways away from the fire, sharing a bit of rock and taking turns passing the one beer back and forth. Changbin tried his best to keep the conversation light and not be weird—he owed that much to Felix, to respect his boundaries. If Felix was willing to remain friends despite Changbin's unfortunate crush, it was really the least Changbin could do.

Felix tapped his fingernails along the plastic of the cup. “You know, I get the feeling I've done something wrong. Have I?”

“What? No!” Changbin glanced over at Felix, watched the way the firelight deepened the dark brown of his eyes. He tore his gaze away, heart aching. Maybe he couldn't do this friend thing after all. “You haven't done anything, Felix,” he said down at his knees. _You're_ _perfect_.

“There, that's what I mean. You're talking to me but you're not _looking_ at me. Like you're pretending I don't exist.” Felix grabbed the drink out of Changbin’s hand and placed it on the sand next to them. He turned Changbin’s hands over in his, their knees nudging one another’s, and touched a finger to Changbin’s pulse point. “I had to have done _something_.”

Changbin felt horrible. He hadn't meant to shut Felix out. If only he could have stopped these stupid feelings from ever surfacing. “Ah, no… Felix, you could never. It's me, it's just something dumb I gotta work out. I'm sorry I got you caught up in it. I didn't mean to.”

It was silent for a while, Changbin watching Felix trace along his palms, fighting the shiver that wanted to run down his spine at the contact, until Felix cleared his throat.

“I've, uh. I've been trying to gather the courage to ask you out for a while now, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting things mixed up. Changbin, do you—you do like me, right?”

Changbin could feel his mouth opening and closing like a fish. His brain had offlined at the phrase ‘ask you out' and only rebooted at the word ‘like.’ Felix wanted to ask him _out_? As in a _date_? “For real?” His heart leapt at the thought, then slammed back down to his stomach as he remembered something. “But—what about Chan?”

Felix frowned. “What _about_ Chan?”

Changbin couldn’t get his brain to _work_. “I just thought—the other night—you stayed at Chan’s.”

“I did,” he replied slowly.

“But what about him and Minho. You're not—" Changbin cut himself off, already knowing he was entering into DANGER DANGER ENTER AT YOUR PERIL territory.

Felix’s brows scrunched together in confusion before his mouth opened in clarity. “…Not helping a good friend _cheat_ by _sleeping_ with him? Wow, I don’t know which part to be offended by more.” Felix stood up abruptly.

Changbin scrambled up after Felix. He was wrong, oh so wrong. What the fuck was the matter with him? Why did he imply such a stupid, horrible thing?? “Oh my—no! I'm sorry! Felix, I didn't--"

Felix held up a hand, silencing Changbin. “But you did. And I don't know how I feel about it right now. I'm going to go, Changbin. Maybe we can talk later. But right now, I…” Felix trailed off and shook his head. Changbin couldn't miss the hurt in Felix's eyes.

“Felix…” Even to his own ears, Changbin sounded pathetic. He watched Felix disappear into the crowd and felt so helpless and angry at himself. And dizzy from the whiplash of emotions that had just coursed through him. Elation—Felix liked him, too? Was going to ask him out??—to agony.

God, Changbin didn't think he could feel any more like shit.

\--

“You fucked up.”

“I know, Ji.”

“Like, really fucked up.”

“I _know_.”

Jisung snorted out a laugh. “I mean, what are the odds that a guy would admit to liking you just for you to still mess things up? I mean, the odds have to be _insane_.”

Changbin flung a pillow at his best friend. “Shut UP, Ji!”

Jisung barely dodged it, his laughter full throttle. Changbin buried his head underneath his only other pillow and pretended he didn't exist.

The weight that landed on top of him was heavy and grounding all at once. Changbin could smell Jisung’s cherry almond shampoo. “You're going to get through this,” Jisung said seriously, his chin on Changbin’s shoulder.

Changbin peeked out from under his pillow. “I am?”

“You are.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you're Changbin _fucking_ Seo, bitch, and you don't back down from anything.” Jisung punctuated his statement with a slap to Changbin’s ass. “So you're going to nut up and apologize and _get_ _your_ _man_.”

“How?”

Jisung tapped a rhythm out on Changbin’s delts, biting his lip and thinking. “Hold up, I have an idea.” He sat up and grinned at Changbin. “You know those god-awful jokes you tell all the time?”

\--

The first apology came in the form of the takeout from his favorite Mediterranean deli. Changbin wrote, ‘I falafel about what I said,’ on the top and had Chan deliver it for him during a lunch break at the lifeguard station. He also apologized profusely to Chan for _ever_ thinking he would play Minho like that, especially not when he _must_ know how Minho felt about him, which had Chan blinking into the middle distance for a good minute or two. Changbin grinned to himself as he left, ducking away quickly so he wouldn't be seen by anyone else.

The second apology Changbin left in a pot to the side of Felix’s door with a little card that read, ‘Sorry I was a prick.’ Not in front of, because he didn’t think stepping on a cactus, no matter how tiny and adorable, would win him any points. He left it after one of the DJ sets and, when he passed by later in the day, he saw it wasn’t there anymore, which… really, didn’t say anything, he realized, feeling foolish. Felix could have kept it; he could have given it away. Hell, for all Changbin knew, he could have tossed it in the trash.

The third apology came a day later. Hyunjin, who moonlighted as a pizza delivery driver on weekdays, was able to help him out and delivered for Changbin a pizza that he wrote, ‘Will you accept my apology or is this too cheesy?’ on the inside lid.

Throughout all of this, Felix had maintained a radio silence. Changbin’s nails were suffering for it. He had no idea how all his silly little (Jisung-aided) apologies were being received. Chan and Hyunjin certainly weren’t divulging anything. That wasn’t the point, though, was it? Even if Felix never spoke to him again, Changbin needed to do this. He had to make things right.

The last and final I’m Sorry was the hardest, because it was the one he couldn’t chicken out and run away on. He had to do it in person. Felix deserved that much.

Changbin ran a hand through his slicked-back hair and took a deep, steadying breath. He’d asked Jisung to text and make sure Felix was even home before he went over, so he had no excuses. Time to nut up, said the Jisung-sounding voice in his head.

Changbin knocked.

It took a moment for the door to open. Changbin could almost feel the scrutiny through the peephole but remained unmoving, trying not to fidget. He tried to slide his hand in his pocket but forgot a) he was holding something and b) the suit he had rented didn’t _have_ pockets. He winced. God, he felt incredibly awkward.

He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until he saw Felix in the doorway. He looked—like Felix, to be honest. Still beautiful, but normal, the expression on his face amused. Changbin didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but he supposed laughter was as good a response as he could hope for.

Felix eyed the cardstock he was holding—I’M SORRY in pasted on letters he had leftover from some high school project—then looked Changbin up and down. “Okay, I get the sign. The tux and boutonniere I haven't figured out quite yet.”

Changbin scratched the back of his head, feeling stupid. Puns only worked if people could figure them out, dumbass. “Oh, um. I'm a formal apology?”

Felix’s eyes did that half-moon thing Changbin loved, and he couldn’t help but stupidly grin back at him. The peel of laughter was bright and gorgeous and almost made Changbin want to cry, he’d missed it so much. “Here, this is for you,” he held out the boutonniere, a delicate pink carnation set with a minimal spray of baby’s breath. Changbin had a similar one, in red, already pinned to the jacket of his ill-fitting suit. “There is also this, but I didn’t know how to turn it into an apology, so. Here.”

Felix took the Styrofoam container and peeked inside. “What is it?”

Changbin blushed down to his toes. “It’s, um. A cutie pie. ‘Cause you're a—hnnnn.” He rubbed his neck.

He watched Felix bite back a laugh and flushed even further, glancing down at his shoes. _God_ , he overdid it, didn’t he?

“You could have called it humble pie.”

Changbin stared at Felix for a long moment in slow-dawning awe. “Oh my God, I totally could have. See!? _This_ is why I need you in my life!”

Felix laughed, full-throated, and Changbin felt the world click back into place. “Changbin Seo, would you like to come inside?” Felix held up the Styrofoam container. “I have pie.”

\--

“To be fair, I had no idea if you felt the same way,” Felix said, licking the chocolate meringue off his finger.

Changbin flailed. “I hit on you, like, _five_ times!”

“Yeah, after I _asked_ you to!” Felix laughed. He swiped another fingerful of pie and held it out for Changbin. “Open wide.”

“I can’t believe you don’t have any spoons clean,” he muttered before holding Felix’s wrist still and licking the chocolate off his fingertips.

“I didn’t know I was going to have any company,” Felix shrugged. It had to be a trick of the light, but Changbin could swear Felix’s gaze got darker. He licked the excess filling Changbin missed and finger-forked another glob into his mouth, maintaining eye contact. Changbin's mouth went dry. “This is really good, by the way.”

They were lying across Felix’s unmade bed, stacked up next to each other to minimize spillage, eating the pie directly from the container with their hands. Changbin spotted the cactus on one of Felix's bookshelves and smiled to himself. It was cozy, nice. Changbin could have happily lived the rest of his life in Felix’s messy staff resort room. “Good enough for you to forgive me?” he asked, head pillowed on his arm.

“I don’t know. Do you still think I slept with Chan?”

“No! No, I promise, I don’t.”

“And I believe you. For the record,” Felix drew one fingertip along Changbin’s forearm, “Chan was never the one I was interested in.”

Changbin ducked his head into the crook of his elbow. “Noted,” he said weakly, dying inside but in a _really_ good way.

“So, Binnie.” Felix lay his head next to Changbin’s, waited patiently for him to peek out at him. “Would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?”

Every time Changbin thought he couldn’t blush any harder, he was proven dead wrong. “Uhhh,” he said intelligently, voice strangled.

Felix seemed gleeful watching Changbin stress out. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes!” Felix dug his fingers into his side, making Changbin flinch and howl. “Oh my God, stop tickling me! _Yes_ , I will go on a date with you, Felix Lee, _God_.”

Felix leaned back and stroked his chin. “I don’t know that I’m _God_. Maybe _A_ god with a little g.”

Changbin screamed into his arms.

\--

Changbin sighed, content, as he stepped out into the sunlight. The ground was washed from a gentle rain, no sign of it in the bright sky, the scattering of white, fluffy clouds outlined starkly in happy blue, reflecting his mood. He put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, unable to help the smile on his face. He was happy. Truly, completely happy. 

The door opened behind him and Felix stepped out. Changbin’s smile only got wider. “Hey, you. Got a question.”

Felix threaded their fingers together as they began walking down the boardwalk, bellies full and hearts light. “Shoot.”

Changbin took a breath. This shouldn’t matter anymore, but he just had to ask. “Do you prefer brownies or pavlova?”

Felix ‘hmm’ed. “I like them both.”

“But if you had to pick.”

“Um, if I could only pick one, I guess…” Felix tapped his chin. “I suppose I’d have to go with brownies. Chocolate always wins, right?”

Changbin pumped his fist. Felix gave him an odd look but let him have his strange victory.

“Hey, Binnie.” Felix knocked their shoulders together.

“Hey what?”

“What did the sushi say to the bee?”

Knowing the punchline, but endeared nonetheless, Changbin smiled softly. “I dunno. What _did_ the sushi say to the bee?”

Felix turned and held up a V sign. “Wasabi!”

Changbin staggered back a step, free hand over his heart. “Is this what it feels like? Every time I tell you a corny joke? Because I gotta say, that was,” he cupped his hands around his mouth, “AWESOME!”

Felix laughed, moving to take Changbin’s elbow. “That's exactly how it feels, yeah. Awesome.”

“You know, you're rolling your eyes, but I also see that smile.” Changbin stopped walking, pulling Felix to him, hands loose on his waist. “Being serious now. Felix, I hope you know that by choosing to date me—”

“I'm subjected to a lifetime of dad jokes and pick-up lines? I know, Binnie.”

“Well, yeah, I thought that went without saying. No, what I _wanted_ to tell you was that you're now dating the happiest guy in the universe. And that's entirely _your_ fault.” Changbin gently bumped their foreheads together.

“Oh, I think I can take the blame for that,” Felix murmured, leaning forward and placing the tiniest kiss against the corner of Changbin’s mouth. Changbin tilted his head, his lips curving in a smile, and met Felix head on. To paraphrase The Princess Bride, it was a kiss that left all the others behind.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/enbookcased) and [tumblr](https://binracha.tumblr.com), respectively.


End file.
